Paris Fashion Week provided the opportunity for Reebok, in partnership with HP, sneaker designer New Guards Group (NGG) and the luxury brand Botter, to unveil a distinctive, eye-catching shoe.
Created by a 3D printer using Jet Fusion technology at HP offices in Barcelona, the Reebok x Botter concept shoe comes hot off the press in a design made to resemble a Murex seashell, which according to Greek mythology was what the goddess Venus used to brush her hair.
Made from TPU, or thermoplastic polyurethane, which comes with the elasticity of rubber and the toughness of plastic, the shoe comes out of the printer gray before being painted in a wide variety of colors designed to catch the eye.
Reebok says there is no waste associated with the product and it can readily be recycled into other products once its life as a shoe meets its end.
“We knew partnering with New Guards Group would allow us to push the needle, bringing consumers fresh new concepts and unexpected collaborations,” said Todd Krinsky, CEO and president of Reebok. “I’m incredibly energized by what we’ve been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time and this latest release with Botter and HP gives a small taste of what’s to come in this long-term partnership.”
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The promise of this collaboration has motivated HP, formerly known as Hewlett-Packard and long known for building motherboards for desktop and laptop computers, to launch its own footwear team.
Don Albert, a 25-year veteran of the footwear industry, heads the HP team.
“We enable new levels of design freedom, fast and agile product development, and a more sustainable local manufacturing process,” François Minec, global head of polymers at HP personalization and 3D printing. “This collaboration with Reebok and Botter is a perfect introduction of the HP solution to the footwear world.”
Reebok began its partnership with Farfetch-owned NGG in early 2022 after being purchased away from Adidas for a cool $2.5 billion by Authentic Brands Group, which owns more than 40 brands, including Brooks Brothers, Lucky and Ted Baker.
Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh, the design minds behind Botter, made fashion waves in 2017 when they released what became known as the Botter Banker shoe. As part of a collaboration with Adidas, the Banker was essentially a soccer shoe fused atop a derby dress shoe.
“We are very excited to join forces with Reebok and envision a new future of footwear and apparel together. We aim to push the boundaries of technology and sustainability while embracing the legacy of Reebok,” the Botter team said in a press release.
Reebok didn’t reveal any details of when the footwear will be available for purchase or what it will cost.
“This collaboration with Reebok and Botter is a perfect introduction of the HP solution to the footwear world.”
François Minec, global head of polymers at HP personalization and 3D printing